Czech Meat Output Down 2.5% in Second Quarter

PRAGUE - Czech meat output fell by 2.5 percent year-on-year to 152,143 tonnes in the second quarter of 2008, the Czech Statistical Office (CSU) reported on Friday.

28 July 2008

2 minute read

Europe

Output of pork meat decreased, while beef and poultry meat output grew. Milk purchases dropped by 0.7 percent on the year to 609.2 million litres.

Pork made up 51.8 percent of the total meat output and poultry accounted for 35 percent. The share of beef and veal was 13.2 percent.

The number of slaughtered cattle including young cows rose by 2.2 percent. The average slaughter weight remained unchanged on the year at 295.9 kilogrammes. Beef output increased by 2.2 percent year-on-year, according to the Prague Daily Monitor.

There were 1.4 million heads of cattle registered in the livestock census as of April 1, 2008, an increase of 0.7 percent year-on-year. The number of pigs fell by 14 percent year-on-year to 2.43 million. Poultry numbers grew by 11.1 percent to 27.3 million.

Agricultural producer prices of cattle for slaughter declined by 3.4 percent year-on-year for bulls for slaughter and by 1.2 percent for calves for slaughter in the second quarter.

The average agricultural producer price of milk increased by 18.3 percent year-on-year.

Czech meat imports exceeded exports in the period lasting from the beginning of March until end-May this year, according to preliminary data.

Foreign trade in beef ended in a passive trade balance of 1,843 tonnes. Imports exceeded exports by 24,128 tonnes in trade in pork meat and by 9,210 tonnes in poultry meat trade.

In contrast, foreign trade in live animals showed a surplus in the same period. Exports exceeded imports by 10,835 tonnes in trade in cattle, by 2,940 tonnes in trade in pigs and by 7,858 tonnes in trade in poultry.

Trade in milk and dairy products posted a surplus of 132,900 tonnes, above all thanks to high exports of raw milk, including cream.